


The Plus One Scam

by koalabear77



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Based on a Tumblr Post, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Foster Sisters, it's not incest if one's an alien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2020-07-25 21:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20032255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/koalabear77/pseuds/koalabear77
Summary: Kara convinces Alex to be her fake girlfriend so she can get double the free food when they get invited to weddings. If that ends up with them getting fake married themselves, then who are we to judge?based off this tumblr post: https://probably-voldemort.tumblr.com/post/178781614151/ahallister-olofahere-probably-voldemort





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> first time writing kalex. hope you guys enjoy =)

It was all Barry’s fault.

Kara met Barry during her senior year of college. They both worked at Noonan’s. Kara had been waitressing there since starting at National City University. (The free sticky buns was the only kind of employee benefit she was looking for in a job at that time.) Barry took a part-time position at Noonans when he started graduate school in order to earn some extra tuition money. They became instant friends, often sweet-talking their other coworkers so that they could work the same shifts throughout the week. That meant it was only a matter of time before Kara met Iris.

Iris was Barry’s childhood friend turned foster sister turned longtime girlfriend, and Kara adored her almost as much as she did Barry himself. She came by whenever she got off her shifts as a barista at Jitters. Kara, being the bright and bubbly and easy to talk to ray of sunshine that she is, didn’t take long to get the whole story of how they got together out of the couple. (She was a romantic and loved those kinds of tales.) As Iris gushed about how Barry was her person and how she loved having him as her plus one throughout undergrad for all of her sorority events and his science conferences, Kara got an idea.

So maybe it was Iris’s fault.

“Alex! Oh my Rao, Alex! I have a brilliant beyond brilliant idea!” Kara yelled as she flew through the open window of Alex’s National City apartment.

“Kara, how many times do I have to tell you to stop doing that? There could be other people here!” Alex called back.

“I made sure to listen out for other heartbeats before I came in, don’t worry.” Kara stopped to give her foster sister a big hug.

“Hi.” Alex smiled up at Kara as she said ‘hi’ back. “So what’s this brilliant idea?”

“You know my friend Barry?” Kara asked, plopping down on Alex’s couch.

“Barry who works with you at Noonans?” Alex dropped down next to Kara, turning with one knee up on the cushion so she could face her.

“That’s the one. Well, his girlfriend, Iris was hanging out today, and she was telling me all about how she and Barry met and got together-”

“You mean you bullied her into telling you how they got together,” Alex interrupted with a teasing push to Kara’s arm.

“Semantics.” They shared a laugh. “Anyway, she said they used to be foster siblings!” Kara stuck her hands out in a ‘ta da!’ motion, looking expectantly at Alex like that should explain everything.

“I’m not seeing where the brilliant idea comes in.”

“Remember last week you were complaining about the wedding invitation you got from your college friend and how you hardly would know anyone who’d be there but you didn’t have a partner to bring as your plus one? I can be your plus one!”

“Yeah, you suggested that on the phone last week too. And if I remember correctly, I told you I didn’t want to be the loser who brings their sister as their date to a wedding.”

“But I wouldn’t go as your sister. I’d go as your girlfriend!” 

Alex nearly choked on the ‘what?!’ that clawed its way from her throat. 

“It’ll be perfect! I hear all the time about people finding fake girlfriends and boyfriends on tinder or something to bring to weddings and family holidays. This’ll be just like that, except we won’t have to make up a ‘how they met’ story or memorize a bunch of facts about each other because we already know each other! I mean, if Barry and Iris can be foster siblings who date, then why can’t we?”

“But neither of us are gay.”

“Well, I don’t really know what I am, but anyway, it doesn’t matter because we don’t owe anyone an explanation of our sexuality.”

“I don’t know, Kara. Don’t you think it’s a bit much for just one wedding? I mean, am I going to have to come up with a fake break up story when my friend asks about my girlfriend in a few months?” Alex couldn’t believe Kara thought this was a good idea.

“Well, it doesn’t need to be just the one wedding. We can do it anytime one of us has a wedding or party that significant others are allowed at, but instead I’ll just get to be there with my best friend. Weddings are amazing! Don’t you want to double the number of weddings we get to go to?”

“I don’t even like weddings,” Alex complained, still trying to talk Kara out of this ridiculous plan.

“But you like open bars,” Kara pointed out in response.

“Well, yeah,” Alex reluctantly admitted.

“So then why wouldn’t you bring an extra person if you’re allowed to? It’s like they’re just begging people to find this loophole. Plus, we’d get twice the amount of free food. We’re basically geniuses.” Kara was practically vibrating with excitement as she thought of all the benefits to her plan.

Alex groaned, throwing her head back against the couch.

“Come on, Alex, just think of all the free food!”

Alex looked over to find Kara in full pout mode and felt the remaining threads of her resolve disintegrate.

“Ok, fine!” she gave in, throwing her hands in the air.

“Yes!”

“Fine, you can come to the wedding as my fake girlfriend.”

“I’m gonna be the best fake girlfriend ever,” Kara promised.

“Yeah, you better be,” Alex grumbled, wondering if she was going to regret agreeing to this charade. If she did, it would be all Kara’s fault.

“So, the wedding’s tomorrow,” Kara started from her seat at the bar as Alex spread take-out containers in front of her.

“Mmmhmm,” Alex hummed noncommittally.

“Alex,” Kara whined. “You haven’t wanted to talk about this all month.”

“What’s there to talk about? You said we wouldn’t have to make up any stories since we already knew each other.”

“I know, but don’t you think there are a few minor details that we should talk about? Like, what happens if you meet someone that you like there? Would you want to be able to go dance with them?”

“That’s not going to happen.”

“Well, it might happen.”

“Except it won’t,” Alex insisted.

“Ok, fine. But I still think it needs to be clear that if one of us finds someone we want to date for real, we pretend to break up and end this thing. Very amicably, of course,” Kara joked.

“Of course.” Alex wasn’t sure why the thought of one of them dating someone ‘for real’ made her so uncomfortable. But then she also wasn’t sure why Kara even wanted to do this with her in the first place, so there were a lot of things she wasn’t understanding at the moment. She tried changing the subject. “So how do we do this. Do we have to act all couply?” She cringed.

“I think we can just act how we usually do. We already cuddle and hold hands all the time. Maybe a few more cheek kisses than normal?” At that, Kara leaned over the food to press a sloppy kiss to Alex’s cheek, which Alex exaggeratedly wiped off.

“And when people ask how we got together?”

“Uhh… Well, we’ve been best friends since I came to live with you guys at 13, but since we were so old we didn’t really grow up together. We can say that, now that we’re adults, our relationship started changing and we finally became official that night last month when I suggested the whole thing!”

“Ok, that makes sense I guess.” Alex paused, stuffing another bite of lo mein in her mouth while she thought. “So, we’re really gonna do this?”

“We don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Kara replied softly. “I don’t want to make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with, Al.”

“It doesn’t make me uncomfortable,” Alex replied quickly.

“You sure?” Kara double checked.

“Positive.”

The wedding came and went without a hitch, and Alex realized she had been dreading the night for nothing. It was actually kind of fun. They did each other’s hair and make up and got dressed up in fancy dresses, joking about how maybe next time they could both wear tuxes. As they sat through the wedding ceremony, no one batted an eye at them. Kara definitely took advantage of the free food at the reception, and Alex was happily partaking in all the open bar had to offer, knowing her superpowered ‘girlfriend’ would get her home safely.

Their ‘dating’ that night really wasn’t much different from their regular relationship. They held hands, stole food from each other’s plates, danced together whenever the dj played a 90s song. Even fielding questions about their relationship started to feel natural to Alex.

“So how long have you two known each other?” 

“Since we were kids.” 

“That’s so cute.” 

“I know. We were both pretty cute back then. I don’t know what happened to Kara.” 

“Please. I’m still adorable and you know it.”

The only time Alex really started to get nervous was when it came time to introduce Kara to her friend from college, Claire, the bride.

“Alex! I’m so glad you could make it,” Clairesaid while giving her a big hug.

“Thanks for the invite. You look beautiful,” Alex complimented, waving a hand down her dress. Claire gave a little twirl before stopping to grab Alex’s hand.

“You and your date look stunning as well.”

“My date, right. Claire, this is my girlfriend, Kara.”

“Very nice to meet you, Kara.”

“You too!” Kara replied, giving the bride a quick hug. “Your dress really is gorgeous.”

“Hey, wasn’t Kara the name of your foster sister too?” Claire asked Alex.

“The one and the same!” Kara confirmed.

“Oh, wow. I totally should have seen this coming.”

“How on earth would you have seen this coming?” Alex asked. “I didn’t even see this coming.”

“Oh, please.” Claire turned back to Kara. “Alex was always talking about you back in school, gushing about how sweet you were and complaining about how much she missed you. I could tell she really loved you.”

“I really love her too,” Kara said, turning to look down at Alex with a sweet smile on her face. “Alex has always been my hero.”

“Aww, you are too adorable! One of you better catch my bouquet later because I can already tell that you guys will be next to go through this whole shenanigan.”

“Woah, slow down.” Kara laughed lightly. “We just made things official last month.”

“Plus, Kara’s still in school,” Alex added, feeling like she had to contribute something before this arrangement spiraled out of control.

“Fine, you’re right. You should take your time, enjoy the honeymoon phase for a while.”

“Exactly!” Kara agreed, still smiling like nothing was amiss.

“Well, I should say ‘hi’ to a few more people. It was great seeing you again, Alex. I’m really happy for you two.” Claire walked away, meeting her now husband who was talking with some other guests.

“Oh my Rao, Alex!” Kara whisper-yelled, trying to hold in her laughter. After the first snort, Alex dragged her outside where they could talk with some privacy. “Did you hear that? She totally bought it! Everyone believes we’re really dating! This is amazing! I knew it would work! She even said we should get married,” Kara rambled, now laughing freely.

“We’re not getting married,” Alex replied sternly.

“I never said we should.”

“Yeah, but knowing you, you’d suggest it just for the endless gifts and excuse for more parties.”

“Well, now that you mention it-”

“No!”

“I’m kidding!” Kara promised, laughing some more.

“This isn’t funny,” Alex grumbled.

“Except it so totally is.” Her laughter finally died down. “Alex, we really pulled it off. We can do this all the time now. Unless you absolutely hated it?” she asked hesitantly.

“Shut up, you dork. Of course I didn’t hate it,” Alex said, trying to reassure her. “I’m with you, aren’t I? And you were right. Going to weddings with your best friend is actually pretty fun.” She was rewarded with Kara’s megawatt smile. “Now let’s go get our dance on.”

“And eat cake!”

“And eat cake.”

Their arrangement worked perfectly. The next event they went to together was a Halloween party for Kara’s school newspaper and journalism club. They dressed up as Mulder and Scully - Alex’s red hair made her the perfect Dana, and Kara bought a short brown wig for herself. Their costumes were an absolute hit. Over the rest of Kara’s last year in school, Alex drove down quite a few times and stayed in her dorm for the weekend so that they could go to some party or event to which Kara was allowed to bring a significant other. The arrangement was affectionately nicknamed ‘The Plus One Scam’.

They made some ground rules as time went on. They never were each other’s plus one at any event where someone would know that they weren’t really dating. This meant no family holidays, DEO events (not that Kara knew the DEO even existed yet), parties at Barry and Iris’s, or things in Metropolis where Clark could see them together. That still left them free to bring each other to science and journalism seminars, acquaintances’ weddings, and alien festivals throughout the world that Kara heard about. And once Kara started working at CatCo, the number of events she could take Alex to nearly doubled. 

The first was CatCo’s annual Holiday party, just a few months after Kara started her job as Cat Grant’s assistant. Kara had been talking about nothing else for weeks. Miss Grant had put her in charge of most of the details, giving Kara more responsibility than she’d ever had before. Kara had been at the event hall all day setting up and making sure everything was arranged to Miss Grant’s standards. She wanted it to be perfect, and she definitely dressed the part.

Alex and Kara walked through the double doors arm in arm. Kara wore a deep red floor-length dress with thin straps that crossed over her back, showing off her shoulders and arms. Alex stood next to her in a black fitted suit with an undone black silk bow tie and red heels to match Kara’s dress (and make her a bit taller). In the years of pretending to have a girlfriend and going to twice as many formal events as they usually would, both women had become much more comfortable exploring all sides of their personal styles, feminine and masculine.

“Look, that’s Winn over there,” Kara whispered to Alex, pointing to a man by the buffet in a knit sweater and Christmas bowtie.

“Winn, the friend you’re always talking about?”

“Yes. Let’s go say ‘hi,’ and I’ll introduce you.” Kara led Alex toward the buffet, now holding her hand between them.

“Are you sure you don’t just want to finally try all the food you’ve been planning on for the past month?” Alex teased.

“Would that be so bad?” Kara whined, making Alex laugh.

“Kara, oh my gosh this place is amazing. Especially the food. You have to try it,” Winn said once he spotted Kara coming towards him.

“That’s the plan! But first, Winn, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Alex.”

“Alex! It’s great to finally meet you! Kara’s told me so much about you!”

“She has?” Alex asked, looking at Kara with a raised eyebrow, the question reflected on her face. 

“Are you kidding? You’re practically all she talks about at work.” Winn’s voice rose as he kept talking, punctuated by a nervous laugh.

“Am I now?” Alex’s other eyebrow rose to meet the first one. Kara, however, was distracted. She was gazing longingly at the food laid out on the buffet. Alex knew there was no bringing her back to the conversation. “Well it was nice to meet you, Winn. We’ll catch up with you later. Come on, my human garbage disposal, let’s get you fed.”

After Alex and Kara had found some seats and Kara had surrounded herself with no less than six plates of food, Alex brought up Winn again.

“You know, Kara, your friend Winn is a terrible liar.”

“What do you mean?” Kara asked distractedly while she continued to eat the expensive selection of food she had arranged for the night. “What was Winn lying about?”

“He was pretending not to know the truth about us and it was terrible. That nervous laugh at the end was a dead giveaway. He’s gonna blow our cover before the party’s over.”

“What are you talking about? He’s not gonna blow our cover. He doesn’t even know that we have a cover to blow,” Kara said, still not looking up. If she had, she would have seen confusion and small amount of shock cover Alex’s face.

“He doesn’t? You didn’t tell him I was your fake girlfriend?” 

“Nope.”

“Oh.” Well if he wasn’t lying about knowing they weren’t actually girlfriends, then what was he lying about?

Alex kept an eye on Winn the rest of the night. Every time he looked over at her and Kara, she was watching. Every conversation he and Kara had, she was watching. Every time they danced together, she was watching (not just because Kara was a fantastic dancer and was turning literally every head in the room with that dress). 

And finally she realized. Winn wasn’t lying. He was in love. Or at the very least had a major crush on Kara. He was so awkward around them together because he was jealous. Which also clued her in on why Kara had talked her up so much to him.

“I get it now,” she said once Kara came off the dance floor to stand by her at the bar.

“Get what?” Kara flagged down the bartender for a class of club soda.

“Why you told Winn that we were dating for real. He likes you.”

“He what?” Kara laughed. “Alex, that’s ridiculous.”

“No it’s not. You don’t have to lie to me. If he’s crushing on you and has been making you uncomfortable, then it makes sense that you’d tell him about your ‘girlfriend’ to get him to back off.”

Kara took a long moment before responding, “You really think he likes me… like that?”

“Of course he does. You’re funny and gorgeous and nice to everyone. You’re amazing. What’s not to like?” As Kara stayed silent, Alex realized that something else might be going on. “Do you like him back?”

“What?! No!”

“Because it would be ok if you did.”

“I don’t. At all.”

“Then what’s got you all quiet?”

“I just can’t believe I had no idea he had feelings for me, in all our months working together. And here you are, figuring it out in less than a night.”

“Well, don’t feel bad about that. I am a-” Alex had to stop herself from saying ‘federally trained agent’ - yet another lie she was telling the people in her life. “-the older sister, afterall.”

“Not if you want to get technical,” Kara pointed out, her eyes glowing with a hint of mischief.

“Oh, you want to get technical do you?” Kara nodded, laughing as she replied with a ‘yeah’. “Wouldn’t that make you a cougar?” They both laughed even harder and spent the rest of the night dancing and teasing, all thoughts of Winn and crushes forgotten.

Supergirl came out right around their three year ‘anniversary’. Alex finally came clean to Kara about the DEO, but its events were still off limits for ‘the plus one scam’. People from the events Alex and Kara went to as dates kept asking them about their relationship, and they kept up the charade whenever they ran into or talked with those people. Kara had the amazing idea that year to send them Christmas cards as a couple. Kara persuaded Alex to wait in line with her at the mall and get their picture taken with Santa. Alex very convincingly pretended to hate it.

When Kara became a junior reporter shortly thereafter, the number of ‘plus one scam’ events doubled again. Suddenly, Kara was getting them in to club openings and tech conferences with her press pass. She befriended Lena Luthor and brought Alex along to every gala and charity event. Things were going well. So well, that Kara decided to bring up something that she’d been thinking about since they joked about it on their first ever fake date.

“Do you ever think about what Claire said to us at her wedding?” Kara asked during a Sister Night after they finished watching ‘Destination Wedding’.

“God, that was years ago.”

“She said that we’d be next to get married.” Kara stared at Alex, waiting for her reaction.

“Oh yeah, that’s right!” She chuckled. “I guess we really had her convinced. I mean, can you even imagine us having a wedding? It’d be ridiculous.”

“Would it really though?” Kara asked in a small voice. Alex’s chuckles instantly cut off.

“What? Yes, of course it would.”

“Just think about it for a minute. We could have showers and get all kinds of gifts!”

“You want to get fake engaged to get free gifts and then cancel the wedding so we don’t have to give any of them back?” Alex asked incredulously.

“Not just the gifts. There’s also the parties and the catering and the cake testings. As many free cake samples as we want!”

“Kara, we can’t get fake engaged just for the free cake,” Alex argued.

“Well there could be free meals involved too. Don’t you remember that couple Miss Grant had on her talk show when we were kids who went around from restaurant to restaurant reenacting their proposal so the restaurant would give them their meal and a bottle of champagne for free?”

“Ok, that part doesn’t sound too bad.”

“We’d never get caught. I can fly us to restaurants all over the world, so no one would find out what we were doing. And we wouldn’t have to cancel it if we didn’t want to.”

“What? Ok, no. Imma stop you right there.” Alex put her hands up and shook her head.

“No, Alex, hear me out,” Kara pleaded.

“Kar, you can’t be serious.”

“When was the last time you went on a vacation? Or anywhere other than back home when it wasn’t about work? Not since you’d visit me at college, I’m guessing. Well, if we got married, we could take a week off work and travel! Go to the beach! You haven’t had time to surf in years.”

“You’re talking about a honeymoon.”

“I’m talking about a vacation with my best friend who hasn’t taken one day off since starting her very important, very stressful job and who deserves some time to relax for once.”

“Kara,” Alex replied weakly.

“And you’ve been talking about how the rent at your new place has gone up but your DEO salary stayed the same and how eventually you’re going to have to move. I’ve been thinking about it since you told me. Wouldn’t it make more sense for me to move in with you? We already spend most of our nights at each other’s place, even sleeping in the same bed. Your place is way bigger than mine. I could have my own art studio in the office that you never use! And the rooftop terrace is the perfect spot for me to recharge in the sun after a battle instead of sitting under the sunbeds, which you know I hate. This way, you don’t have to always worry about me. You can keep an eye on me.” Kara’s ramble seemed to get more and more desperate as it went on.

“Why are you trying to hard to convince me this is a good idea?” Alex asked.

“I’m never going to have a normal relationship,” Kara finally admitted. “I broke the noses of the first four people I tried to kiss. No one is ever going to understand the real me, the whole me, like you do. You’re my person, Alex.” Kara wiped away a stray tear. “I would never suggest this if I thought it would be taking something away from you,” she promised vehemently, “but you told me that night at the new club CatCo sent us to when you got really drunk that you never liked being… intimate with anyone, that you never thought you’d want a relationship with anyone, and I just thought, if neither of us is going to have that with anyone else, why can’t we try to have some form of it with each other?” Kara could see that Alex was starting to think it over. “I can’t exactly have kids like a regular human can either. And you’ve mentioned maybe adopting. Maybe we can do that together too. That way you don’t have to do it alone and I’d get to have the kind of family I never hoped I could here on Earth.”

“I’ll think about it,” Alex allowed.

“Really?!” Kara could have cried with joy. 

“Really.” Alex gave Kara a hug before making her way out. At the door, she turned back and said, “Love you, Kar.”

Kara hoped Alex would realize that it made sense. Because it did. In the years that they had been fake dating each other, neither had given much thought to actually dating anyone else. 

But that couldn’t last forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey, less than a year between chapters! i’ll take it lol
> 
> i planned to have this be mostly from alex’s perspective again, but maggie kind of shangai’d this chapter. whatcha gonna do?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw: non-graphic aftermath of violence/animal cruelty

It was all Maggie’s fault.

Alex met Maggie on a Wednesday. It was about a month after Alex and Kara stopped getting free dinners out of their endless proposals and started planning the wedding. Kara had bought Alex a ring - at least, as far as Alex knew she bought it. In reality, Kara made it herself - and Alex was considering getting Kara one too. Or maybe a bracelet like Kryptonian custom dictated. She wasn’t sure yet.

Alex didn’t wear the ring while she was working. They still hadn’t decided how - or even if, if you asked Alex - they would tell J’onn and the rest of the DEO. And don’t get her started on what they’d say to Eliza about it all. So far, there wasn’t really anyone in their lives who knew the whole story - that is, that they were faking being together. There were people who knew about the engagement, because Kara couldn’t shut up about it to the people in her life, but not that it was fake. Alex hadn’t told anyone there even was an engagement, and she intended to keep it that way for as long as possible.

Alex met Maggie on a Wednesday, which turned into arguing with her on a Friday, fighting bad guys with her on a Sunday, stitching her up on a Monday, going over case notes on a Tuesday, grabbing a drink together on a Thursday, and eventually having a standing pool night every Saturday.

Alex didn’t wear the ring while she was working, and she didn’t wear it any other time she was with Maggie, either. 

Now, to your average human, the lack of a ring would suggest that a person was single, available, on the market. But Maggie was not your average human. No, she was a detective. 

And what do detectives do? They detect.

“Yo, Danvers!”

“Sawyer.” Alex sighed in relief as she saw Maggie muscle her way through the police barricade to the crime scene. “Finally, a cop who’s actually competent for once.” Maggie didn’t miss the glare Alex shot to her brothers in blue.

“What have you got for me?” Maggie asked, taking a look at the scene before her.

“Vandalism. Appears anti-alien in motivation.” As Alex spoke, Maggie saw the words ‘go home freaks’, among others, spray-painted on the doors and windows of what appeared to be an animal shelter. Nailed to the walls were dead cats which had been gutted to look like science class dissections. “Not sure why they had to bring the poor cats into this. Everyone knows you don’t fuck with cats.”

“These people just can’t catch a break.” The tell-tale swoosh of fabric and gust of wind through her hair alerted her to Supergirl landing behind her. After all her interactions with Alex, she’d gotten almost used to the Super’s appearances in her life. She turned to face the blonde. “Hiya, Supes. Got any intel for us?” She didn’t get any response. “Supes?”

“Supergirl,” Alex said, taking a few steps closer. 

“How dare they.” Supergirl’s fists were clenched, and her eyes were misted. “Alex-”

“Hey.” Alex stepped up to her when it was clear that Supergirl was too distraught to continue. She spoke softly, privately. “It’s ok. It’s just vandalism this time.”

“It’s not, though. A clan of Valthor own this place.” When she realized that neither Alex nor Maggie understood what that meant, she continued in a tight, controlled manner. “Valthor are a people from a planet in 7th system that have vowed to protect a race they see as holy beings. The Calathur. They opened the shelter because it was an easy way for the Calathur to blend in.” She heard Maggie gasp. “Last night was the beginning of their religious holiday where they would anoint the next generation of Valthor protectors. Without any Calathur left, there’s no one to protect. Their religion has basically been wiped out in one cruel act.”

Maggie saw Supergirl’s eyes begin to tear up again. Alex jumped into action, pulling Supergirl into an alley and away from the prying press so she could mourn in private. Maggie stood in front of them, creating a barrier in case any other uniforms tried to follow them. As she listened to Alex console the hero, she felt like she was intruding. Sure, she and Alex were friends, but they weren’t even close enough for Alex to be open with her about her relationship with Supergirl. And until Alex trusted her with that information, she had no right to be listening in on this tender moment. Maggie took a few extra steps away until their murmurs were indistinguishable from the other chatter around the scene.

“Sorry about that,” Alex said as she emerged from the alley after Supergirl had flown off.

“Nothing to apologize for, Danvers. Your girl feels deeply. It’s admirable.”

“My- My girl? Supergirls not- She’s not my- my girl-” Alex stuttered with a beautiful blush on her face, and-

No. Dammit, Maggie. She wasn’t supposed to be thinking about Alex that way. She was taken. Except Maggie wasn’t supposed to know that she was taken, and she just let Alex know that she knew that she was taken. Whoops.

“Alex, it’s ok. Our kind, we gotta stick together, right?” Damage control at its finest.

“Our kind? Wha- What? I’m not-” Alex’s voice dropped to a low whisper, and she looked around frantically as she said, “I’m not gay, Maggie.” 

“Ok, sorry.” Maggie backed off, her hands up. “Guess I read you wrong.” Alex would tell her in her own time.

Alex’s own time was taking too long. Which, fine. If Alex wanted to pretend that she wasn’t seeing anyone, then Maggie could too. So Maggie took full advantage of the obvious lie that Agent Alex Danvers was single as a pringle and did what she did best.

She hit on a gorgeous woman.

They already met up every Saturday night. It wasn’t hard to add a bit more flirtation into those pool games, a bit more sway when she walked around the table, a few extra winks when she left to get the next round of drinks, a bit more innuendo when she complimented Alex’s form… and hands… and talents.

And if she conveniently ignored the part where Alex said she wasn’t gay, well then, Maggie was only human. (Unlike Alex’s very un-human lady love. Cough, cough.)

Meanwhile, Alex was smack dab in the middle of a world class gay panic.

See, the problem with having a fake fiancé that no one knows about is that you don’t have anyone to talk to when someone else is very real flirting with you. So Alex did what any other self-respecting adult did. She dealt with it all by herself.

First there was denial. Maggie was like this with everyone she interacted with. She gave the guys on the force shit about their love lives, hit on all the bartenders at the alien bar, even talked about how gorgeous and amazing Supergirl was all the time.

Then came anger. Why couldn’t Maggie just let this go? Alex told her she wasn’t with Supergirl, wasn’t gay. Yet it just kept happening. And Alex’s temper got shorter and shorter with every wink and innuendo until she was storming out of the bar.

Next was bargaining. Maybe Alex could get Maggie’s sights off her if she could just turn her attention to someone new. She was back in the bar the next Saturday night apologizing to Maggie and talking up every available female-presenting being she saw. But no matter how many single women Maggie left with at the end of the night, she was right back flirting with Alex at the beginning of the next one.

Eventually, the depression hit. Alex stopped going to the bar. She stopped wedding planning with Kara. She completely self-isolated. She woke up, worked out, went to work, and came back home to a slowly-dwindling bottle of whisky each night.

Finally - after pouring out all of the whisky bottles in her apartment and with no short amount of self-reflection - Alex found her way to acceptance.

“Danvers. Long time no see. And how wonderful it is to see.” Maggie smirked as Alex walked up to her at the pool table.

“Hey, Maggie. Can we talk?” Alex pointed to a booth off in the corner.

“Sounds serious.” Maggie followed her and sat down.

“I, um…” Alex took a deep breath. “Remember that day at the animal shelter when you thought I was- was- uh… into women?”

“Yes.” Was this finally going to be the moment when Alex opened up and told her everything? Maggie really hoped so.

“Well, I’m thinking that maybe you were right. About me.”

“Thank you for trusting me with this secret.” Maggie smiled, trying to reassure Alex that telling her was the right decision.

“Yeah, some secret. I was keeping it even from myself.”

“Wait, what?” It couldn’t be… “But, I thought-”

“You have no idea how much I’ve been spiralling since that day. And you definitely didn’t make it easy on me, with all the bedroom eyes and comments about my ass.“ Alex laughed, which felt really good. At least now she could joke about it.

“Ok, so let me get this straight-”

“I’m not.” Yeah, it felt really, really good.

“Wow, fresh outta the closet and already got the gay jokes.”

“Well, you know, gotta make up for lost time.”

“So you really didn’t know?” Alex looked at her confused. “That you were gay? I mean, before I mentioned it.”

“No, I really didn’t.”

“But, you and Supergirl-”

“Me and Supergirl are complicated.”

“Yeah, because you’re super gay for each other!” Maggie felt like she was losing her mind. If she was wrong about this, then- No. There was no way she was wrong about this. She knew what she saw. And what she saw were two people that were totally smitten with each other.

“Maggie…” Alex sighed. She didn’t know how to say this. She didn’t even know if she wanted to say this. No one else in the entire multiverse knew about her and Kara’s relationship, about the ‘plus one scam’. But also, didn’t Alex deserve to have someone in her life to talk to about everything?

“Hey, Alex. Whatever it is, I’m here for you. No judgement, ok?”

Ultimately, Alex thought it was the head tilt that did it. Maggie looked like an eager to please puppy giving her best understanding face. It reminded her of Kara. 

So Alex told her everything.

She told her about Kara first getting the idea while in college, about Kara’s dating history, about her own inability to enjoy intimacy with any man ever, and the impending marriage. It didn’t hurt that Maggie had already met Kara Danvers and figured out that she and Supergirl were one and the same. When it was all out there, it took Maggie a total of eight minutes and forty two seconds to finally stop laughing. Every question she asked, Alex’s answers only made her laugh louder and harder. She finally calmed down - no lingering sniggers - and asked the most important question.

“You’re really not together?”

“Nope.”

“And you don’t want to be?”

“Come on, Maggie. She’s my foster sister. Of course I don’t want to be _with_ with her.” Alex pretended to shudder.

“This isn’t necessarily an ‘of course’ kind of situation. Foster sisters aren’t biological sisters. And you didn’t exactly grow up together. There wouldn’t be anything wrong with you two becoming a couple.”

“I know. Kara says that’s why it works so well. Because no one second guesses it. But I don’t like her like that. Promise.”

God, this girl was in complete denial. Maggie decided it was her duty as self-proclaimed gay guru to get Alex’s head out of her ass if it was the last thing she did.

“Well, now that you know you’re into women, are you going to call off the fake engagement? You know, date around, see what’s out there? I could be your wing woman! I’m the best wing woman ever.”

“What? No. I’m not calling off the engagement.” Alex looked a bit panicked at the idea. Which, if you asked Maggie, was a good thing. They were finally getting somewhere.

“Oh, come on, Alex! You’re fresh off the boat. The world is your oyster. Don’t you want to flaunt your new-found lesbianism and get it on with some hot ladies?”

“Absolutely not. That’s not an option.”

“It could be.”

“It would crush Kara. She’s been looking forward to this wedding for months.”

“Alex, you don’t have to marry her just because of some silly agreement you made months ago when you thought you couldn’t be romantically interested in anyone. Kara would understand.” And Maggie was one hundred percent positive that she would. Kara would do anything for Alex.

“Yeah, well, I’m not taking that chance. I’m happy to know this about myself, but it doesn’t have to mean anything. Now, can we please drop it?” Alex begged.

“Fine. Consider it dropped.” It was most certainly not dropped.

Maggie was now faced with a lesbian in denial about her feelings (nothing new) and an opportunity for matchmaking that she just couldn’t pass up. So, she did what she did best.

She hit on the gorgeous woman some more.

Loudly, often, and - most importantly - in front of Supergirl. Was she worried that this course of action would end with the Kryptonian flinging her into the sun? Slightly. Was that going to knock her off course at all? Absolutely not. Maggie Sawyer was two things: incredibly gay, and incredibly stubborn. 

Oh sure, she was also attractive and a good listener and a damn good cop, but those weren’t as important to her plan. Well, maybe the attractive part did come in handy a bit…

Supergirl soared through the open windows into the operations hub of the downtown DEO headquarters. Maggie was there consulting on a prison breakout and perked up as soon as she heard those famous boots come walking toward them.

“Supes!”

“Detective Sawyer.” Kara did not share Maggie’s enthusiasm at seeing her in the DEO.

“Ooh, what’s got the girl of steel so steely today? Alex, maybe you could cheer her up a bit. Seeing your gorgeous face always seems to do it for me.” Maggie flashed Alex a satisfied smirk and watched Alex roll her eyes in response.

“Come on, Mags. Cut it off. We’ve got work to do.”

As Alex turned to address the other agents gathered around, Maggie heard Kara mutter ‘Mags?’ under her breath. Oh, yeah. They were definitely getting somewhere. Maggie was sure her plan was working and that any day now she’d get a frantic call from Alex saying that Kara had finally made a move. She just knew it.

“She dumped me.” Alex slammed her fist down on the bartop as she sat next to Maggie, death glare in place and completing the threatening show.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Kara. She dumped me. Called off the engagement, cancelled all the wedding plans, dumped me. And it’s all your fault.” Alex ordered a double bourbon from the bartender. (So much for giving up that habit.)

“No, she couldn’t have.” That’s not how this was supposed to go down. Kara was supposed to finally woman up and kiss Alex, not dump her. Alex was supposed to be freaking out about what to do with a foster sister who likes her - romantically - not drowning her sorrows in well liquor.

“Well, she did.”

“Well, that doesn’t make any sense.”

“What doesn’t make sense? You flirted with me, made me realize I was gay, continued to flirt with me even more - right in front of her, I might add - and so she decided that you and I are perfect for each other and dumped me. And now you have to fix it.” She downed the bourbon in one gulp and motioned for another one.

“Ok, just- Back up. Start from the beginning. What happened?”

Sister night the previous Thursday started off normal enough. There were plenty of potstickers, Alex’s coziest blanket, and a whole lotta Betty White. If Kara seemed quieter than usual, then Alex just figured it was because the Big Bad of the week was still at large. That is, until Kara turned off Golden Girls, set Alex’s beer on her coffee table, and turned to face her on the couch.

“We need to break up.”

“What?” Alex was thankful Kara took her beer because otherwise she would be choking right now. She was at a loss.

“We need to pretend to break up.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I’ve cancelled the florist and the invitations-”

“You already cancelled stuff?!”

“-and we’ll get most of our money back. We never put down the deposit for the venue or dj, so we don’t have to worry about that. The save-the-dates haven’t gone out, so there won’t be too many people we have to tell. And it’s ok that we’re eating that cost for those. I got a good discount by using CatCo’s graphic designer.”

Kara’s rambling explanation didn’t actually explain anything.

“Woah, slow down.”

She didn’t slow down.

“We went to all of the cake and catering tastings, so we’ve gotten all the fun parts out of this whole wedding planning thing already. And it’s good that we didn’t have any showers or engagement parties yet. We won’t have to give back the gifts!” Kara’s fake smile could be seen from a mile away. “Really, this is the perfect time to cancel.”

“Kara, stop. Where is this coming from?”

“I know you’re just doing this for me, but you don’t have to. Ok? It’s fine. It was a stupid idea, and the fun parts already over. We don’t have to go through with it.”

“What do you mean the fun part’s over? I thought you wanted to have the parties and the buffet and the vacation.”

“Well, yeah, but we don’t have to do all that anymore.”

“What if I still want to do all that?”

“Alex.” Kara looked at her as if she knew Alex was lying.

“What?” But Alex wasn’t lying. At least, she didn’t think she was.

“I know, ok?”

“Know what?” Kara threw up her hands in an exasperated motion, but Alex was still lost as to what was going on. “Kara, you’re gonna have to help me out here. Know what?”

“About you and Maggie!” she finally yelled. She finished more softly with, “I know about you and Maggie.”

“What about me and Maggie?”

“Come on, Alex.” There was that look again. “You’re together every Saturday night-”

“That’s usually your patrol night.” Which was why they did it. It was the most convenient night of the week for both of them.

“She flirts with you all the time.”

“She’s like that with everyone. She flirts with you all the time too!”

“Not the way she does with you.”

“I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean.”

“Yes you do. And you’re different with her too. You’re more comfortable around her than you are with anyone else. You guys have inside jokes, and- and nicknames! You called her ‘Mags’ the other day.”

“Yeah, because I know she hates it.” Alex laughed.

“This isn’t funny! We said from the very beginning that if we found someone we wanted to date, we’d have an amicable break up. Please don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” Kara looked like she was about to be in tears. And a crying Kara was not something that Alex was ok with. Ever.

“I’m not making it harder than it needs to be because it’s not something that needs to be happening at all!” Alex was getting frantic. She needed Kara to see what was really going on. “Kara, you don’t understand. There’s nothing going on between me and Maggie. We’re friends. Sure, she helped me figure out some things about myself, but-”

“Figure out things? Like what?” Well, that’s not at all where Alex meant to lead Kara. But now that it was out there, she couldn’t take it back.

“I- Well- I think- I mean, no. I _am_.” Alex took a deep breath. “Kara, I’m gay.” She let out a relieved sigh. “That’s the first time I’ve actually said that out loud to anyone. I’m gay.” She laughed. “God, that feels so good to say.”

“I’m really happy for you, Alex.” Kara stood up, tears finally falling.

“No, Kara, wait-”

“Keep the ring. I’ll see you later, Al.” Alex had gotten up to stop her, but Kara had already flown out the window by the time she could get to her. She stood frozen, mind still reeling over what had just happened.

“Well, shit.”

“Yeah.” Alex downed another double and slammed the empty glass on the table.

“This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.”

“Oh? And tell me, great wise one, how exactly was it _supposed_ to happen?”

“She was supposed to-” Maggie thought better of giving up that particular detail right now. “You know what, that doesn’t matter. What exactly do you want me to do about it?”

“I want you to fix it!” Alex ran her hand through her hair, pulling at the roots like maybe if she could just pull it out she would be able to find some peace in all of this. “I want you to explain to her that we’re not together, that we’re never going to be together, and that she doesn’t need to break up with me because of you.”

“Well, Alex, I mean, she didn’t really break up with you. You weren’t even together for real.”

“I know that,” Alex snapped. “You think I don’t know that?”

“No, I’m just saying-”

“Saying what? That just because we don’t kiss or have sex like other couples that what we have isn’t real? Because that’s fucked up, Maggie. There are plenty of real couples who don’t have a sexual relationship. I thought you of all people would understand that.”

“I do understand that. I just meant-”

“What we have is real. And I’m not giving it up just because Kara thinks I have some crush on you. A crush doesn’t even compare to what I have with Kara. It couldn’t.”

“Why not?” Maggie pressed.

“Because I love her!” Now they were getting somewhere. “More than I’ve ever loved anyone else. She’s my person. I’m gonna spend the rest of my life with her, and we’re gonna raise kids together and be cuddled up under her stupidly comfortable blankets making fun of tv shows even when we’re eighty.”

“But don’t you want all of that with someone plus romance and sex some day?”

“Not without her. I don’t want to do any of it without her.”

“Alex,” Maggie said softly. She knew she had to take this carefully if she didn’t want Alex to freeze up or bolt. “Is it possible that you want all of that, plus the romance, plus the sex… with Kara?”

“What? No.” Alex looked into Maggie’s eyes, searching for answers, but all she saw was understanding. “No, I-”

“Do you love her?”

“Of course I do. How could you ask me that?” Alex replied, indignant.

“Are you in love with her?” Maggie asked in a low voice.

“I-” Alex’s eyes were wide, and she was frozen in place looking somewhere over Maggie’s shoulder.

“Ok, let me ask you this.” Maggie tried a different approach. “Picture yourself having sex.” At Alex’s answering squeak, she tried to reassure her. “I know it’s hard. You’ve never enjoyed sex with a man and never had it with a woman, but just try for me.” She took a long pause before continuing slowly. “When you think about having sex, can you even picture anyone other than Kara?” When Alex finally looked back at Maggie, her eyes were still wide, but her look was one of resignation and… fear. Maggie immediately wrapped her arms around Alex. “It’s gonna be ok, Ally.”

“Oh my god.” Alex finally broke, and one stray tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. “I’m in love with Kara.” She began to cry in earnest, and Maggie just held her. “This is all your fault,” Alex joked weakly, letting out a wet laugh.

“I know, I’m sorry,” Maggie apologized, laughing heartily while she wiped away Alex’s tears. “But I know how I can make it up to you.”

Surprisingly, it only took a week for the whole plan to come together. A week of no response from Kara other than a simple text reading ‘I just need some time,’ despite the many many calls made by Alex. A week of Alex second guessing the plan every step of the way.

(“This is a terrible idea. What if she doesn’t like me back?”

“Babe, that girl is crazy about you. She was literally in tears thinking you wanted to date me.”

“Ok, yeah, you’re right. But you’re going to have to stop calling me ‘babe’ if we’re ever going to get Kara to believe we’re not together.”

“Noted.”)

A week of Alex missing Kara. But Alex had realized something. That is, after the realizing that happened when she realized she was in love with her foster sister. 

Alex would wait for Kara forever.

Thank god she didn’t have to.

Kara landed harshly on the beach. They were down the street from their childhood home in Midvale in a spot that she and Alex had frequented when they were kids. It was just after dusk, and she didn’t at all understand what she was seeing.

“Hey there, star girl.”

“Alex? What’s going on? Eliza called and said you were surfing and there was an accident, but…” Kara had been frantic on her way there, but now that she saw that Alex was fine, she was starting to calm down.

“I’m fine, Kara. Mom just said that to get you here.”

“Why am I here, exactly?” Kara looked around at the secluded beach, confused. There were string lights everywhere, hung up on pillars stuck into the ground. Tea lights were scattered all over the sand where Alex was standing, the majority of which were in the shape of a heart. Alex was wearing a long, flowing, navy blue dress which perfectly matched the blue on Kara’s suit.

Kara thought she looked beautiful.

“You’re here because I’ve been meaning to talk to you.”

“You couldn’t have called?”

“I’ve been calling, Kara.”

“I know,” she replied softly, ducking her head. “I told you, I needed time.”

“No more time,” Alex said decisively. Kara’s head shot up. “You can’t keep avoiding me.”

“I’m not avoiding you-”

“We both know that you are. And we both know why. But we’re putting an end to all that.”

“Alex, you can’t just decide-”

“Yes, I can.”

“Alex-”

“Just listen to me for a minute. Can you do that?” Alex asked, relenting a bit from her earlier firmness.

“I guess,” Kara allowed, head again bowed. She heard Alex take a deep breath and mutter to herself ‘here goes’.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”

“I thought you were listening.”

“Right, sorry.” Kara and Alex both chuckled.

“_Anyway_.” She and Kara smiled at each other. “I love you. More than anyone else in the world. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you. And I know that you think my new-found gayness means we can’t do that, but you’re wrong. Because all it means is that I’ve found new ways to love you.” Alex took a velvet box from behind her back, and Kara gasped.

“Alex, you don’t-”

“I told mom. That’s why she was the one to call you here. She knows everything. And I already talked to Clark and Lois too. I went to the AI of your mom and asked for her blessing. She said something I didn’t quite understand about a Codex and asked for the results of a blood sample, but she gave it. You can ask her yourself if you want. She’s the one who helped me design this.” 

Alex opened the box. Inside was a thick silver cuff with Kryptonian symbols engraved on the inside and a shimmering design on the outside. She stepped out of the heart of lights and up to Kara. This close, Alex could see tears welling in Kara’s eyes. She reached up with one hand to brush them away, keeping it against Kara’s cheek as the other hand held onto the bracelet.

“Kara Zor-El Danvers. My Supergirl. You are my favorite person in the world. When we started on this adventure together, it was with some resistance on my part. But every single day I fell more and more in love with you. I didn’t know I could have this kind of love with someone, let alone you, and so I settled for less. I settled for having part of you because I never believed I deserved having all of you. But I know now that that’s what I want. I want it all. The wedding, the marriage, the kids. I want to grow old with you. I want to wake up every morning and see your hair all over my pillow. I want to kiss you goodnight every night and hold you in my arms and I want to be yours. I’ve always been yours. I could never be anyone else’s.”

“Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”

“Marry me. For real.”

“But what about Maggie?”

“I never wanted Maggie. It was always you, Kara. It’s always been you.”

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Say yes. Say that this is what you want too. Say that you’re in love with me like I’m in love with you. Say yes. But only if you mean i-”

“Yes!” Kara cut Alex off and practically lept into her arms, showering her face with kisses. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”

“So that’s a yes?” Alex asked with a blissful laugh.

“Rao, Alex. Of course it’s a yes. I love you.”

“I am so in love with you. I’m sorry it took me so long to realize it.”

“That’s ok. I would wait for you forever.”

“You’ll never have to,” Alex promised. And then she leaned in and finally kissed the love of her life.

**Author's Note:**

> leave some love or come yell at me over at thescreamingbisexual on tumblr


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